Chapter 14 - THE WOMAN AT THE LAKE
The Whitmore lake house stood two hours north of the city.
Police surrounded the property before dawn.
Thermal cameras detected two people inside.
One moved freely.
The other remained in a basement room.
Evelyn’s vehicle was parked behind the garage.
Detective Torres ordered Ryan and Maya to stay at the command post.
Ryan refused to leave the area.
Maya refused to let him go alone.
They waited inside an armored van while tactical officers approached the house.
A loudspeaker broke the silence.
“Evelyn Whitmore, come outside with your hands visible.”
No answer came.
The command was repeated.
A curtain moved in an upstairs window.
Then smoke began pouring from the basement.
Maya stood.
“She set the house on fire.”
Officers broke through the front door.
Another team entered through the basement.
Flames spread along the rear stairwell.
Ryan watched body-camera feeds on a monitor.
An officer found Evelyn in the library.
She sat in Charles’s old leather chair.
A glass of wine rested beside her.
She did not resist.
“Where is the other woman?”
Evelyn smiled.
“What woman?”
The basement team found a locked room.
Inside was Anna Reed, Oliver’s former nanny.
She was alive.
She was unconscious from smoke inhalation.
Her wrists were bruised.
A chain had been attached to the wall.
Paramedics carried her outside.
Maya covered her mouth.
Evelyn emerged moments later in handcuffs.
Her face remained composed.
She saw Ryan beside the van.
For the first time, she looked tired.
“You brought Maya here?”
Ryan stepped forward.
“You imprisoned Anna.”
“She was blackmailing me.”
“You tried to burn the house.”
“I lit documents.”
“The fire spread.”
“You expect anyone to believe you?”
Evelyn looked at Maya.
“They believed me for years.”
Maya met her gaze.
“That is over.”
Evelyn smiled faintly.
“No.”
“It is only beginning.”
Detective Torres placed Evelyn in a police vehicle.
Anna was flown to the hospital.
When she regained consciousness, she asked to speak with Maya.
Her voice was barely audible.
“I saw what Evelyn did to Charles.”
Maya moved closer.
“What did you see?”
“She switched his pills.”
“She told me he was confused.”
“When I threatened to tell Ryan, she accused me of stealing.”
“Why didn’t you go to the police?”
“I tried.”
“Samuel Price found me first.”
Anna began crying.
“They kept me at Briarwood.”
“They said no one would believe me.”
Ryan felt the room tilt.
“How did you end up at the lake house?”
“Evelyn moved me after Maya refused the money.”
“She said she might need a witness.”
“A witness to what?”
May you like
Anna looked at Maya.
“To say you abused Oliver.”
